The Darkness Within
by LyraCat
Summary: Link faces his dark side in the ultimate test of courage and perseverance when all hope has been lost. Rated M for language, as well as torture both physical and psychological.


**My friends didn't believe me when I told them that even I have a dark side.**

 **This story is to prove them wrong.**

 **My lighthearted and bubbly personality is something I show on the outside, but deep within we all have a bit of darkness in our hearts, even if we don't wish to admit it. Whether it be from personal experience, or to balance out our light side, it's always been there. Some haven't discovered it yet, or maybe they simply haven't accepted its existence, but now they will at least get a glimpse of mine hidden within.**

 **So here it is. You asked for it my friends. Welcome to the nightmare. Don't worry, it gets better. We all have to wake up sometime, right?**

* * *

 _We all have that side  
Shadows we don't acknowledge  
The darkness within_

* * *

He hated the Water Temple. Link knew it from the moment he set foot in the dungeon that it would be a nightmare.

Though he didn't think it would be _this_ bad.

His feet barely touched the ground as the shackles that dug into his wrists, rubbing them raw, supported his weight. His eyes followed the path of the chains to see them intricately snaking through the branches of the dead tree his back was pressed against; its pale white limbs echoing the almost colorless surroundings.

How long had he been here? The last thing he remembered was entering the large vacant room. He must have been caught off guard, knocked out and taken prisoner here, but by whom?

Link couldn't think straight, he was starving, and from that, physically exhausted. It was difficult to focus, as he was suffering from dehydration. A weak smile crossed his face. The irony. Dehydration while imprisoned in the Water Temple.

"Link? Link! You're awake!" A small voice piped.

"N-Navi?" He faintly said, trying to find the bright blue ball of light. The fairy came into Link's view from his left.

"Thank the goddesses! I was so scared!" She shook as she frantically hovered in front of his face. "I-I didn't know when you'd wake up. I was so worried! I was in your cap so I didn't see what happened. I'm sorry, so sorry," she began to cry.

Link shifted his gaze from her to assess his surroundings. The room didn't appear to be a room at all, but rather an empty expanse that seemed to span for infinity. The endless void was filled with ankle deep water, reflecting its muted blue-grey color above. In the center where he was bound stood the single decrepit tree on a tiny island, before him roughly six or so feet away was the Master Sword, stuck in the ground so it stood upright with the Hylian Shield leaning against the blade.

Suddenly the hair on the back of his neck stood up. Link sensed a malevolent presence somewhere in his surroundings. He felt his fairy shudder, silently slipping under the brim of the green pointed hat. Link scanned the environment. His eyes settled on a shadow in the shallow waters beyond where his weapons stood. He squinted to get a better look. Nothing was casting the dark splotch in the distance.

It moved.

Quickly the shadow zigzagged, Link's eyes darted as he tried to keep track of its whereabouts. It stopped beneath the Master Sword. Two glowing red dots appeared in the blackness. Slowly, the shape shifted, drawing closer to Link. Once it was free of the sword and shield, the darkness began to converge, centering on the small red circles. It started to rise, a dripping wet figure, black as night, taking form as it emerged from the water where the shadow had been. Something about it seemed familiar, as it stood bent over, arms hanging limply. Just the sight of it caused a shiver to run down Link's back, forcing the sword sheath still fastened to him to rub uncomfortably against his spine, grinding the bark of the tree behind.

The figure began to laugh quietly; its head still facing downward. The volume of its cackles increased, coming to a crescendo that sounded like the shattering of hope itself. Suddenly, the figure snapped its head back, its neck contorted at an odd angle as the searing red eyes glowed, staring deep within Link's very soul.

"Hello, hello! I'm Dark Link. What a pleasure to finally meet you, _Link_. I've been waiting my entire existence for this very moment!" The dark one stood tall, a twisted smile pulling up the corner of its mouth.

Link's eyes widened. The creature before him looked like a reflection of the Hero, yet distinctly dark, lacking sanity, something it had never known.

"Let's have a little fun, now shall we?" It's blood red eyes themselves seemed to smile as he took a few steps closer to Link, drawing his piercing gaze over the Hero's face that watched in shock as the doppelganger drew close.

"Hmm…" Dark Link's sight settled on the Hero's hat. The edges of his mouth curled up. "I see," he snatched the green cap from Link's head. A small muffled squeak escaped the fabric.

"Navi! Don't you dare hurt her," Link growled with what little strength he had.

"This insect?" Dark Link said, a look of disgust crossing his face as held the cap to eye level, holding the opening shut with his fist.

"Let me out!" She cried, pushing against the fabric towards her companion, her glow seeping through as she tried to break free.

"You're all bark and no bite!" Dark Link said aggressively, swiftly stuffing his free hand into hat. His glowing red eyes settled on the fairy as he drew his hand out, fingers pinching one wing. "These little wings… So delicate!" His expression contorted into a happily twisted smile. He tossed the hat to the ground at Link's feet, lifting his other hand and gently grasping another wing. "Let's see how your little friend likes to play."

As Dark Link began to pull her wings in opposite directions, the fairy's glow started to fade, a high-pitched squeal emanating from her tiny body.

"Link!" She squeaked.

"Shut up! Your little whining voice is so unpleasant!" Dark Link shouted, his face tense and full of anger.

"Stop!" Link howled, the dryness of his throat causing the word to come out weakly. He watched in horror, as he could do nothing to help his friend before him being tortured. Navi continued to scream, only to the annoyance of Dark Link.

Suddenly, her voice abruptly cut off.

"Already? Well that was no fun," he said, letting go of one wing and holding her by the other in front of his face. The fairy's body hung loosely, her glow almost gone. Dark Link flicked her with his other hand, the light body drifted to Link's feet, landing on the cap that was tossed aside earlier.

Ignoring his exhaustion, Link leaned as far over as his constraints would let him, the light of the fairy quickly fading.

"Na-Navi?" His hoarse voice croaked. "Navi... Say something!"

"It's useless. She's done for. Too quickly if I do say so myself," the shadow spoke, beginning to walk around the small island. Link heard his footsteps as they sloshed through the water, but the buzzing in his own mind drowned the sound out.

Terror filled him. Navi was all he had his entire journey, by his side through the thick and thin, crossing time together. Link's body shook, he felt hollow without her presence. He couldn't accept the events that were unfolding before his very eyes.

She was gone. He wished he could shed a tear for his friend, but in his current state, he wasn't able to summon a single drop of precious liquid. This was too much.

 _I can't stay here. I don't know how long I've already been imprisoned, and Navi…_ He closed his eyes with a pained expression. Link didn't see a way to escape his binds. As much as he hated to bring someone else into this, he would have to rely on outside help. _Sheik taught me the Serenade of Water and should know I'm here._

As Dark Link came full circle, he stopped to face the Hero bound to the tree. With an intent gaze, his fiery red eyes burned into Link. For a time everything was still, the silence so painfully oppressing.

"Heh. So let me get this straight: you, the great 'Hero of Time' himself is waiting to be rescued? What a laugh! I'll explain something to you: no one is coming. You're alone here now that your fairy friend is out of the way. Not a soul knows _who_ you are, _where_ you are – it's all just a fun little game now and I hold all the cards." The dark one leaned in close, bringing his voice to a whisper. "No one is coming for you, especially not that weak Sheikah."

Link's face took on an expression of shock. How were his thoughts being read?

"I know everything you think, and soon you will know why, for now, I believe I might just keep a few secrets… For the fun of things," he pulled away, smiling.

"Sheik knows who I am and where I've gone," Link said more confidently than he felt. Speaking was difficult after grieving for Navi with his throat already dry and raw.

"No one is coming!" The dark one spat. "Especially not that _imposter_ of the Sheikah tribe! Tell me Link, do you know why there are so few of them left? Have you ever wondered about the guardians of the Royal Family?" He paused for a moment, letting the thought sink in. "It's because they are all _dead_. They were weak! That harp-playing Sheik isn't an exception. They couldn't fulfill their duty."

Link's mind raced back to that stormy night seven years ago when obtained the Ocarina of Time from Zelda as she escaped on horseback with Impa. That woman was of the Sheikah tribe. If what he was saying were true…

"So do you see where I'm going with this? That makes things easier. Now, lets see if you can connect the dots. You're already on the right track. Maybe that girl who holds the Triforce of Wisdom, now what was her name? Ah, Zelda. Maybe Zelda could share some of her 'wisdom' with you… If she were alive, that is."

Link felt his pulse quicken, a chill shuddered through his body as the words wormed their way into him, striking fear into his very core.

"Z-Zelda…" He weakly said, shaking in his constraints as his face took on a distressed look. _No. She couldn't be… She trusted him with the Ocarina, with the fate of Hyrule… If Zelda were gone, then even if he did defeat Ganondorf, what would the country do without a leader?_ "Damn you!" He screamed, his voice cracking from the dryness of his throat. He pulled against his binds, causing the metal of the chains that held him to clink.

"So you think that I did it?" The darkness asked, blinking in mild surprise, the red irises flickering like a candle as they quickly disappeared and reappeared from the rapid closing and opening of their lids. "Why, I'm quite honored, but no, I merely witnessed the deed. The Great Ganondorf was the one who executed it. Don't worry," a smile curved from the edges of his mouth. "She was kept alive for a time, but alas, the girl was too weak and recently left this world. Ganondorf wasn't yet through with his fun, but the days with her were so enjoyable! Her screams of pain as her flesh was cut with rusted blades, leaving wounds that he then pressed glowing metal to. The whole time she was shouting your name, begging for you to come, but what were you doing? You slept! What a laugh!" He shrieked, a cackle escaping his lips as Link listened in utter horror.

"For almost seven full years the girl was his plaything! She thought you could save the world, oh _Great Hero_ , but you took a nap of all things! While you rested, Ganondorf had his fun in more ways than one. Over the years she was kept prisoner, Zelda began to develop fine features that rivaled even those of the Gerudo women he so pleasantly enjoyed the company of, prisoners of war as well, for they foolishly refused to follow the Demon King. The womanly aspects of the Princess didn't go unnoticed by him…" The darkness left the words hanging in the air, tilting his head slightly to the side and witnessing the panic take hold of the Hero.

"He didn't…" Link rasped as he shook, his face filled with fear for the girl who had trusted him with everything.

"Oh, yes he did! It was wonderful! The bitch was begging for mercy as he tore her clothes, stripping them from her supple body piece by piece! Her trepidation of what would come was just as delightful as the terror-stricken face she attempted to hide while she posed fake courage in hope of him stopping! It was the best part! She, the one who would have been a leader, must subjugate to the false king!"

"NO! It's not true! It's not…true…" Link's voice was already a whisper from the parchedness of his mouth, but it faded further, becoming almost indecipherable as it trailed into oblivion. His eyes were widened and hollow, face downcast and body trembling uncontrollably. Dark Link observed his prey in silence for a time; letting the pain of his words sink in like the hot metal that was pressed to Zelda's skin.

"Do you still think you can save this beautifully fucked up world? What likelihood do you have?" He taunted, face twisting with pleasure at the mental stress he was inflicting on the Hero. "The Princess is dead, the kingdom is in shambles – how do you even begin to _hope_ to have a chance?"

Link was silent as his mind raced. It couldn't really be happening; Zelda being dead, the torture she went through until she could no longer hold on… It was all a ploy to derail his confidence. It had to be. Dark Link leaned in close, stroking the cheek of his light doppelganger. The flesh of his fingers icy to the touch yet as his sharp nails brushed the Hero's skin they burned like fire, leaving red welts behind and causing a grimace to cross his face, twisting the fresh wounds.

"Is that pain I see? Oh, I will take _great_ joy in this!" The darkness cackled, jumping back to stand next to the Hero's weapon.

He kicked the shield aside, pulling the Master Sword from the ground; Dark Link lifted the dripping wet blade to eye level inspecting it. His glowing red eyes shifted focus from near to far perspective, settling on the confused expression of the Hero.

"You're wondering how I can wield the Blade of Evil's Bane? You're thinking I'm evil, aren't you?" He twirled the weapon effortlessly, dropping the blade against his shoulder and resting his cheek on the cool metal, closing his eyes with a smile as he caressed it. For a moment he was silent then the flaring red irises returned as his eyelids snapped open. In one swift movement he swung the blade towards Link. The Hero's eyes widened but he was unable move. From fear or exhaustion, he couldn't tell.

The honed tip of the sword stopped mere millimeters from his neck. Link's eyes were locked onto his own reflection in the polished metal. Dark Link tipped the blade up, pressing the sharp point against Link's throat and forcing his head to lift. A single drop of blood formed from the contact and slid down the weapon, falling once it reached the hilt. With a quiet _plop_ it hit the shallow water, dispersing until the red was no longer visible in the grey-blue liquid expanse surrounding the two.

"It's because I'm _you_ , your darkness," a smile on his face, the demented shadow spoke, one eye open wider than the other. "I know everything about you, your thoughts, your weaknesses, yes, even the Hero destined to save Hyrule has his flaws." Dark Link pulled the sword away from Link and drew his finger along the blade, wiping the last bit blood that had trickled down its edge. He placed the tip of his finger on his tongue, tasting the blood then licking his lips and chuckling.

"None of you humans are perfect and although I'm you, there is one big difference between us… Unlike the _Great Hero_ before me, _I_ don't feel pain."

With those words, his dark half raised the sword, plunging it into his own abdomen. Searing pain filled the Hero's body, the origin of which was the wound that gushed at his stomach, yet no object pierced the injury. Link's darkness twisted the weapon in his own body. In response the Hero coughed, spurting blood from his mouth.

"If _I_ take a hit, _you_ are the one who suffers!" He began to laugh, twisting the blade further. "No matter how many times you step on a shadow, it won't feel the pain!" Blood dribbled from the corners of Link's mouth, his head hanging. He was in too much agony to even scream, his vision fading in and out as he watched the blood drip onto the small patch of sand beneath his feet that barely made contact with the ground while he hung suspended by chains.

"YES! HAHAHA! BURN! THAT'S RIGHT, FEEL THE PAIN! IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE!"

 _I have to hold on. For Hyrule… For Zelda. She's not dead; she's out there, waiting…_ Link's consciousness was drifting. He was losing focus, the red blood on the ground before him a stark contrast with the pale sand it seeped into, the grey water lapping at the edges, diluting the bright liquid. His senses became dull, sounds were muffled, Dark Link's laugh that echoed hollowly had started fade into a constant stream of quiet sound that petrified the Hero.

"Can't take it any more? The fun is only beginning!" Shouted the shade, but Link didn't register the jeer. Darkness was closing in on his vision, edging ever closer, creeping in on not only his sight, but also his soul. His body was becoming numb, the sense of touch fading. Link could no longer feel the cold metal of the shackles at his wrists, or the lesions crossing his face as it writhed in pain. Only the warm blood that oozed from his wound and the burning sensation of the injury itself were present, growing ever softer as his senses dulled.

His head hung limply, body still.

"Oh? So he's stopped moving. Tch. This is no fun," Link's dark half drew the sword from his abdomen in revulsion at the sudden end in his pleasure and stabbed it into the ground, causing water to splash up and ripple through the otherwise static environment. "I guess I went a bit too far…" he sighed.

And waited.

* * *

Slowly, light began to fill his vision, blurred as his eyesight started to focus while his senses returned. His hat was back on his head and Navi nowhere to be seen. The dried blood caked the injury in his midsection as well as where it had trickled from his mouth. Pain began to take hold, reminding him of where he was and what has happened.

"Wakey wakey! You've been out for quiet a while now," the voice of his other half called, echoing around the lone two. Link didn't respond. "Hey! Listen to me when I speak!" Dark Link shouted, kicking the Hero in the stomach, the heel of his black boot making contact with the wound. Link coughed in pain, his head snapped up in reflex to the blow.

"That's better! It's no fun if you keep sleeping. Try to keep those eyes open," he said, pointing to his own blood colored irises. The shade's face transformed from a wide-eyed grin into one lacking the sanity that was never there in the first place as a sinister thought came to mind. "I know what will make this more interesting," he said, leaning in close. With his left hand he lifted Link's chin, raising the Hylian's head up. "How about we force those eyes open?" He asked rhetorically, bringing his free hand to Link's face. The Hero focused his vision on the red eyes of the predator that closed in, then quickly snapped them shut as the fingers of the dark one inched closer, icy thumb and index pressing around his right eye and forcing his head against the trunk of the tree to which he was bound.

"Now, now. It's rude not to make eye contact," Dark Link said as he stretched the skin around Link's eye, forcing it to open. Lifting his other hand from the Hero's chin, the shade took his index finger, pointing it straight towards the pupil. Link tried averting his gaze but with his head held in place and lids forced apart, escaping the ordeal seemed impossible.

Dark Link's sharp nail made contact with the white of Link's eye, scraping against the surface. Link moaned; squeezing his face and causing the welts on his cheeks to twist as he tried his hardest to force his eyes shut. With what little valuable water was still within him they began to water.

"Aww… Are those tiny tears I see? Cry all you want here. Your tears will only join the water in the temple," Dark Link sneered as he traced the nail in circles, chasing Link's pupil as it darted away from the threat. The nail came close to his counterpart's blue iris, brushing against the sensitive cornea over the colored muscle.

Link wailed in pain, only for the sound to come out as a dry hiss.

"Without your sight, there will only be darkness!" Shrieked his other half, taking the remaining fingers of his left hand and beginning to press the edges of the eye, letting the black nails gently slip over the sclera so they separated the tender organ and skin as his right still held the eyelids apart.

 _I can't let it end like this!_ Link told himself, struggling to tolerate the torture. _I have to get through it. If not for Zelda or Navi's sake then for Hyrule and it's people. The Kokiri, Malon, that dancing couple, the woman with the white puppy, the man who sold masks, the person who ran the potion shop, the fishing pond owner, that girl who was allergic to her own cuccos._

 _They are waiting. They need hope. I will give it to them. I_ will _get through this._

 _For them._

 _For Hyrule._

 _For everyone I have failed… I won't let another soul suffer like I have._

Abruptly Dark Link pulled his hands away, taking a step back from the green clad one who closed his eyes tight in misery. The shade spun around to face away and snapped his fingers, the chains that bound the Hero melted into water and he fell on his stomach, his lower body in the sand of the island while his upper half splashed in the cold liquid. He landed with his face turned to the right, the shallow water covering up to his nose. Although it wasn't clean, he swallowed some of the liquid to relieve the burning sensation in his throat. With great effort the Hero rolled onto his back, looking at the towering figure above with his left eye while his right was squeezed shut as small waves lapped at his cheeks.

Dark Link laughed and slowly turned to face Link, tossing the exhausted Hero a fairy in a bottle, stolen from him when Link had first entered the trap. It landed in the water near his left hand, bobbing up and down as it floated. He reached for it, grasping the slippery surface of the wet glass.

"Congratulations. It looks as if you really do have what it takes."

Link was confused from the sudden change in his other half as he pulled the cork, letting the sprite fly free over him, easing his pain.

"You don't mean to kill me?" He said, surprised at the strength of his own voice. Energy was flowing back into the Hero. He noticed that he no longer felt the wounds he received as he reached for the gaping hole in his abdomen, now healed. The fabric of his tunic was torn and bloodied where the blade had pierced his counterpart's gut, causing the injury to form on his own body, but other than that no signs that the wound was ever there were present. He pushed himself to a sitting position, muscles still sore.

"Kill you? Now why would I do that? Oh, I see. You _still_ don't understand," Dark Link leered, learning over his light half. "I may not feel your pain, but without your life, I too, am as good as dead. Shadow and Light are two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other." He pulled away, skipping backwards until he stood next to the legendary blade and shield, pulling the sword from the ground and dropping it at his feet, kicking the items to Link. They skidded through the water and came to a stop roughly a foot from the Hero.

"Take these. You'll be needing them where you're going."

Link warily looked at the one who had put him through so much pain. He gathered his supplies, tossing the shield on his back and using the sword to push himself to a standing position and face Dark Link, all while keeping his eyes on his shadow.

"Zelda's safe, no harm has come to her. She and the fate of Hyrule are waiting on you."

"You're not just giving me false hope, are you?" He asked skeptically, though he knew a straight answer was unlikely.

Dark Link shrugged. "Whether or not you believe me is up to you. After all, you seemed so ready to accept what I had told you earlier. Maybe that was the truth and this is just a lie. A reflection isn't always faithful to the original. Believe what you want, but why would I stop my fun for seemingly no reason?" The shade let the question hang in the air for a moment. "Oh, I almost forgot this," his likeliness said, pulling another bottle from behind himself. In it a small blue fairy bobbed nervously, trying to yell only for its voice to be muffled by the glass and cork that confined it.

"Navi!" Link shouted as his shadow unbottled the glowing orb.

"Link!" She cried back.

"You're safe! But how?" He asked, confused as his eyes followed his companion as she zoomed towards him, stopping to hover next to his face and brushing up against his cheek lovingly.

"Your fairy friend?"

Link brought his gaze from his sidekick to that of Dark Link as he spoke.

"Merely an illusion from the very beginning. This is the Water Temple after all. Water is like a mirror, it reflects your true self, but unlike a mirror, the slightest touch causes ripples, altering the truth and twisting it into something so beautiful, so _dark!_ " He smiled.

"Why did you do all this to me in the first place?" Link asked, feeling Navi slip into his hat and nestle in his hair, immediately falling asleep now that she was free from the stress of worrying over her friend.

"Don't get me wrong," he snarled. "I did this to make sure you weren't weak. If my other half couldn't handle it, then I think the two of us would be better off dead, letting Hyrule go to hell."

Link stayed silent, intensely looking at the red glow of the eyes.

"Lord Ganondorf _graciously_ gave me life of my own," the shade said mockingly, continuing to address Link. "But upon coming to the realization it would reach an end with your demise, I thought I might have some fun with you, and then _him_. Unfortunately, I can't leave this place by design. Yes, I have flaws too, so I entrust the rest to you. I had to make sure that you had it in you first though. What fun would it be if you came face to face with the Demon King only to die mere moments later?"

"Zelda trusted me from the beginning. She knew I could handle him."

"Handle him? You two were ten! It was just fun and games for her, thinking that children such as yourselves could save the world. It was her fault he got into the Sacred Realm in the first place, causing this… incident," the darkness waved its hand, gesturing as if trying to describe Hyrule's downfall with the motion.

"Anyways, I've kept you long enough and by the end of your journey, all will make sense. That's the exit," he said, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder. Link looked past his shadow to see a door in the distance that had been out of his view when he was secured to the tree.

He began to walk towards it, as he neared his other half, the dark one spoke, Link's gaze fiercely piercing the shadow in revenge for the suffering he went though.

"Good luck, Mr. Hero of Time. Give him hell for me," he said, slapping Link on the shoulder, sending a jolt up his spine from the memories of the torment he had to endure at the hands of his darkness. "Go on. I promise I won't do another thing," Dark Link said innocently, taking a step backward from his other self and holding his hands next to his head, palms facing forward in a gesture of peace. As much as Link wanted to slice his weapon through the shadow, he knew harm would only come to him by the action.

Still facing his shade, Link took a few steps backwards towards the door. Dark Link closed his eyes, the red disappearing under the dark lids as he brought his arms to his sides. The Hero spun around and continued to walk towards the door, his pace increasing as he neared it. He grasped the knob with relief it wasn't an illusion and turned to survey the room for one last time.

Dark Link was nowhere to be seen.

Link was apprehensive after losing sight of his doppelganger but the malicious presence that had pressed down on him from the beginning of his imprisonment could no longer be felt.

He faced the door and turned the handle, light greeting him as he opened the way, casting a single long and smiling shadow in the shape of the Hero as he took one step closer to the salvation of Hyrule, and himself.

* * *

 **A/N: I can't believe the longest thing I've written since my laptop crashed is over 5,000 words of torture. O_o**

 **I'm not sure if I'm OK with this.**

 **Thanks to all who read this and had to suffer with Link's torment. I truly am sorry and I look forward to feedback. This story had a few firsts for me; torture and Dark Link. I'm not sure how well I handled those subjects, but I tried.** **I've always pictured Dark as twisted, unstable, and a lover of games, which I attempted to show with this as I worked with Link's emotions, something I'm trying to get practice with. I guess this was as good a test subject as any.**

 **(Oct. 18th, 2015; fixed some typos. :P)**


End file.
